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Interview with Susan O. Wallerstein
Susan O. Wallerstein, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Sun City Carolina Lakes
OH 772
This interview was conducted by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight and Michaela Bessinger with Dr. Susan Wallerstein as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Dr. Wallerstein first details her personal and professional background; she later shares her experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic and critical year 2020, particularly as a retired American living in Sun City Carolina Lakes. She notes how this period in her life opened the door to learning, reflection, and personal growth. A Francophile at heart, she also shares her love for language and culture. Notable topics of conversation include the COVID-19 pandemic, education, culture, civic engagement, social unrest, and political polarization.
Susan Olsen Wallerstein, Ph.D. (b. 1949), a native of Seattle, Washington, and longtime Connecticuter, is a retired education professional who now resides in Sun City Carolina Lakes in Indian Land, SC. In addition to her forty-year career as an educator and administrator, Dr. Wallerstein served on several local and state boards, notably as Chairwoman of the Norwalk Arts Commission (2014-2019). Dr. Wallerstein holds a B.A. and Ph.D. degree from the University of Connecticut and a M.A. degree from the University of Bridgeport.
Spearheaded by Dr. Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.).”
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Interview with Alexiona Carwise
Alexiona Carwise, Winthrop University, Black Women, and Greek Life
OH 721
This interview was conducted by Itzel Lara with Alexiona Carwise in association with HIST/AAMS/WMST-517: Black Women in America as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Carwise discusses the significance of Black Lives Matter with specific emphasis on the contribution of Black women to the movement, and their lack of recognition thereof. Carwise also highlights Black women on a variety issues, and the challenges they face in the workplace, education field, and everyday life. She also discusses Greek life, and her decision to join a traditionally non-Black sorority. The issue of controversial building names on Winthrop University's campus is also raised.
Alexiona Monifah Carwise, at the time of the interview, was an undergraduate student studying Psychology at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. Carwise has also taken several Women’s and Gender Studies courses and is an active member of Sigma Sigma Signma or Tri Sigma, a national women’s sorority.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, Assistant Professor of History and African American studies, the project is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.)."
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Interview with Anne Lauher
Anne Lauher, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Sun City Carolina Lakes
OH 744
This interview was conducted by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight with Anne Lauher as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Lauher opens by discussing her personal and professional background and goes on to detail her experiences at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including travel hurdles, the loss of her twin brother, and the sudden shutdown of her community. Lauher also speaks on the issue of social unrest and the greater fight for social justice in 2020. Other notable topics of conversation include social isolation, supply chain shortages, political polarization, race, discrimination, and the Black experience amid 2020.
Anne Lauher (b. 1948) is a native of Suffolk, Virginia who has resided in the Sun City Carolina Lakes Community of Indian Land, SC since 2007. Before retiring and moving to Sun City, Lauher lived and worked in the greater Washington, D.C. area for forty years. She is an active member of the National Baptist Convention and its Congress of Christian Education. She also contributes to the Living @Sun City Carolina Lakes Magazine.
Spearheaded by Dr. Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.)."
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Interview with Barbara M. Boulware - OH 779
Barbara M. Boulware, Rock Hill School District, and Civil Rights Movement
OH 779
This interview was conducted by Jackson Martin with Barbarba M. Boulware as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Mrs. Boulware discusses the challenges she faced as an educator during the Civil Rights Era and shares her experiences as a Black woman in the South, notably her triumphs in the face of racism and adversity. Boulware underscores the influence of the Civil Rights Movement on historically Black sororities and fraternities like her own, Delta Sigma Theta, and how each collaborated to advance social change. She also highlights the crucial role of Black women in society, especially politics, and goes on to give her perspective on the modern-day efforts to ensure the civil rights of all Americans. Notable topics of conversation include race, racism, race relations, civil rights, police brutality, political and social activism, Black women, Greek life, the Divine 9, education, urban renewal, and the city of Rock Hill.
Barbara Ann Murray Boulware (b. 1940) is a former educator and administrator in the Rock Hill School District. A 1958 graduate of Emmett Scott High School, Ms. Boulware went on to earn degrees from Hampton University (B.S., 1962) and Winthrop College (M.A.T., 1973). She first taught math and science at Castle Heights Elementary School (1963-70) and later moved to Northwestern High School where she served as both a science instructor (1970-81) and assistant principal (1981-1995). After retiring, she temporarily served as interim personnel director for Rock Hill School District in 1997. She is also a longtime chair and trustee of the York County Public Library.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.).”
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Oral History 742
Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ
OH 742
This interview was conducted by Margaret “Isa” Long with interviewee K as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. The interviewee discusses his experiences amid the critical year 2020, particularly as a member of the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities. The interviewee details the challenges he continues to face navigating society as a Black queer person; in addition, he discusses his experiences as the child of Caribbean immigrants, often highlighting personal and familial struggles. He also sheds light on the social justice movement sparked in 2020 as well as the disconnect he, at times, feels within the Black community. Other notable topics of conversation include the red vs. blue political culture, homophobia and/or anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, race, and discrimination.
Interviewee K (He/They), a native of New York State, identifies as both “gender-fluid,” i.e. an individual who does not identity with a fixed gender, and transmasculine (or transmasc), a term used for someone whose gender identity or expression is predominantly male, though assigned female at birth. The interviewee currently resides in the state of Georgia and is an undergraduate student.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.).”
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Interview with Joceylyn Buschman
Joceylyn Buschman
OH-712
This interview was conducted by Baylee Hughes with Joceylyn Buschman as part of the “Being LGBTQIA+ at Winthrop” Oral History Project spearheaded by Baylee Hughes. Joceylyn is a 2019 graduate of Winthrop with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science. In this interview, Joceylyn discusses her experiences at Winthrop for the “Being LGBTQIA+ at Winthrop” Oral History Project. This project was created to record the voices and experiences of historically marginalized LGBTQIA+ university students, former students, and employees of Winthrop University. This project aims to address the lack of source material available concerning the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students and staff on college campuses with the goal of helping to fill the gap in the historical record with these interviews.
*Note: At the time of this interview, Joceylyn identified as non-binary and went by her birth name Jordon. Joceylyn now identifies as a Trans Woman.
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Interview with Amanda Cavin
Amanda Cavin
OH-713
This interview was conducted by Baylee Hughes with Amanda Cavin as part of the “Being LGBTQIA+ at Winthrop” Oral History Project spearheaded by Baylee Hughes. Amanda was a post-traditional student at Winthrop graduating a Bachelor of Science from the College of Educations (2015) and later with a Master of Education degree (2017). Amanda has worked for Winthrop since 2019 as the Director of the EagleSTEM Scholars Program. In this interview, Amanda discusses her experiences at Winthrop for the “Being LGBTQIA+ at Winthrop” Oral History Project. This project was created to record the voices and experiences of historically marginalized LGBTQIA+ university students, former students, and employees of Winthrop University. This project aims to address the lack of source material available concerning the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students and staff on college campuses with the goal of helping to fill the gap in the historical record with these interviews.
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Interview with Amanda Cavin
Amanda Cavin
OH 650
This interview was conducted for the as part of the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the United States. This effort was to produce a history of the university’s, as well as the community’s, response in the days and weeks following the attacks. A key aspect of the project was a series of audio-taped interviews conducted with various members of the Rock Hill and Winthrop communities who felt their stories needed to be shared.
This interview is of Mrs. Amanda Cavin, Winthrop’s Director of the Eagle STEM Scholars Program in Physics, Chemistry, and Geology. In this interview with Andrew Russell, Amanda Cavin discusses her thoughts and memories of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mrs. Cavin describes her experience during the events, the response of the local area she was in at the time, and of the country as a whole.
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Interview with Carrie Colns - OH 672
Carrie Colns and Emmett Scott High School
OH 672
This interview was conducted by Dr. George Garrison with Carrie Colns for the history of Emmett Scott High School project. Mrs. Colns is a former student of Emmett Scott High School which was the segregated high school for African-Americans. It was named after Emmett Scott, a former aide to Booker T. Washington and President Woodrow Wilson. The school was opened in 1920 and was closed in 1970 when full integration was implemented in Rock Hill, South Carolina schools. In this interview Mrs. Colns discusses her experiences growing up in the area and attending Emmett Scott High School during the 1920s and 1930s as well as her experiences with the Civil Rights Movement.
Carrie Colns was a longtime resident of Rock Hill, SC and attended Emmett Scott High School in the 1920s and 1930s. In this interview, Mrs. Colns discusses her experiences growing up in the area, attending and Emmett Scott High School as well as life in during the Civil Rights movement.
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Interview with Buck Cooke
Buck Cooke
OH 714
This interview was conducted by Baylee Hughes with Buck Cooke who attended Winthrop from 1991-1995 and graduated with a degree in Mass Communication. Buck also did some graduate work at Winthrop from 1995-1996 before transferring to Florida State University. In this interview, Buck discusses his experiences at Winthrop for the “Being LGBTQIA+ at Winthrop” Oral History Project. This project was created to record the voices and experiences of historically marginalized LGBTQIA+ university students, former students, and employees of Winthrop University. This project aims to address the lack of source material available concerning the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students and staff on college campuses with the goal of helping to fill the gap in the historical record with these interviews.
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Interview with Beth Costner
Beth Greene Costner
OH 651
This interview was conducted for the as part of the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the United States. This effort was to produce a history of the university’s, as well as the community’s, response in the days and weeks following the attacks. A key aspect of the project was a series of audio-taped interviews conducted with various members of the Rock Hill and Winthrop communities who felt their stories needed to be shared.
This interview is of Dr. Beth Costner, Associate Dean and Director of Student Academic Students in the Office of the Dean of the College of Education. In this interview with Andrew Russell, Beth Costner discusses her memories and thoughts of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mrs. Costner describes her experience during the attacks and the response of the Winthrop community as well as the local area to the events.
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Interview with Kathryne Courtney
Kathryne Courtney
OH 715
This interview was conducted by Baylee Hughes with Kathryne (Ryne) Courtney who plan to graduate in December 2021. In this interview, Ryne discusses her experiences at Winthrop for the “Being LGBTQIA+ at Winthrop” Oral History Project. This project was created to record the voices and experiences of historically marginalized LGBTQIA+ university students, former students, and employees of Winthrop University. This project aims to address the lack of source material available concerning the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students and staff on college campuses with the goal of helping to fill the gap in the historical record with these interviews.
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Interview with Deitre Owens Helvy
Deitre Owens Helvy, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Education
OH 737
This interview was conducted by Winthrop student Michaela Bessinger with Deitre Owens Helvy as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Helvy details her experiences as a Black female educator in Greenville County School District during the critical year of 2020. Her testimony provides a unique point of view by considering the Black experience in 2020, particularly in relation to the pandemic, education, and social justice. Other notable topics of conversation include the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual education, teacher recruitment, and social unrest.
Deitre Owens Helvy (b. 1977) is a Recruitment Specialist for Greenville County School District, a position she has held since 2016. She previously worked as a special education teacher and Instructional Support Specialist. Helvy holds a B.A. in Special Education and M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision, both from Clemson University.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jenifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.)."
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Interview with Delancy McBride
Delancy McBride, Black Women, and Small Businesses
OH 746
This interview was conducted by Kaniya Simpson with Delancy McBride as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. McBride discusses her work in the haircare industry as well as the symbolic nature of hair to the African American community. She also details the role of social media in growing her business, and the importance of inspiring other Black women in the field.
Delancy McBride, a Rock Hill native, is a cosmetologist who works in the haircare industry.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.)."
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Written Reminiscences of Dorothea Jansen
Dorothea Jansen and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 783
These written responses were completed by Dorothea Jansen as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. These recollections provide insight into the COVID-19 pandemic and critical year 2020, notably from the perspective of a retired American living in Lancaster County, South Carolina. Notable topics of conversation include COVID-19 virus, vaccination, masking, social isolation, education, social unrest, and disinformation.
Dorothea Jansen (b. 1947) is a native of Syosset, New York, and longtime resident of the Carolinas. She currently resides in the Legacy Park Community of Lancaster County, SC.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.).”
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Interview with Sara English
Sara English
OH 652
This interview was conducted for the as part of the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the United States. This effort was to produce a history of the university’s, as well as the community’s, response in the days and weeks following the attacks. A key aspect of the project was a series of audio-taped interviews conducted with various members of the Rock Hill and Winthrop communities who felt their stories needed to be shared.
This interview is of Ms. Sara English, Assistant Professor of Social Work at Winthrop University. In her interview with Andrew Russell, Dr. Sara English discusses her memories and thoughts of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Dr. English describes her experiences during the attacks, the response of the local area she was in at the time, as well as the country as a whole.
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Interview with Felecia Hayes
Felicia A. Hayes, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Black Women
OH 734
This interview was conducted by Liv Paxton with Felecia A. Hayes as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Hayes reflects on her experiences as a young Black woman in sports, particularly as a track and field athlete. She discusses the personal, social, and educational challenges she faced amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the critical year 2020. She also details her relation to the Black Lives Matter movement (racism, police brutality, social unrest, etc.) and her subsequent social activism. Hayes concludes by reflecting on her experience as a Black woman, whether an athlete, student, or individual, navigating white spaces at the College of William and Mary and in society at large.
Felecia A. Hayes was a graduate student at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA at the time of the interview. She has since earned a Master of Education degree and is now an elementary educator in Fairfax County Public Schools. Hayes was a NCAA sprinter on the W&M track and field team as an undergraduate student.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.)."
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Interview with Debbie Garrick
Debbie Garrick
OH 653
This interview was conducted for the as part of the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the United States. This effort was to produce a history of the university’s, as well as the community’s, response in the days and weeks following the attacks. A key aspect of the project was a series of audio-taped interviews conducted with various members of the Rock Hill and Winthrop communities who felt their stories needed to be shared.
This interview is of Ms. Debbie Garrick, Development Officer at Winthrop University. In her interview with Andrew Russell, Debbie Garrick discusses her memories and thoughts of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mrs. Garrick describes her experience during the events and the response of the Winthrop and Rock Hill communities.
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Interview with Maria Gelabert
Maria Gelabert
OH 662
This interview was conducted for the as part of the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the United States. This effort was to produce a history of the university’s, as well as the community’s, response in the days and weeks following the attacks. A key aspect of the project was a series of audio-taped interviews conducted with various members of the Rock Hill and Winthrop communities who felt their stories needed to be shared.
This interview is of Dr. Maria Gelabert, Professor of Chemistry at Winthrop University. In her interview with Andrew Russell, Dr. Gelabert discusses her memories and thoughts of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Dr. Gelabert describes her experience during the events and the devastation that resulted from them while living in New Jersey and working at Wagner College on Staten Island.
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Interview with Gloria Mobley Brown
Gloria Mobley Brown, Civil Rights Movement, and Educator
OH 780
This interview was conducted by Martin Jackson with Gloria Mobley Brown as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Mrs. Brown, 89, discusses her experiences as a Black student and educator, particularly during the segregated and civil rights eras. She sheds lights on the role of African American women in the Civil Rights Movement, notably her own participation in marches in her hometown of Rock Hill. Brown also reflects on issues such as racism and race relations spanning from her childhood in the segregated South to her later years amid the Black Lives Matter movement. She concludes by noting the importance of education to the African American community.
Gloria Jean Mobley Brown (1932-2023) was a native of Rock Hill and longtime educator in both Rock Hill and York School Districts. A 1950 graduate of Emmett Scott High School, Brown went on to earn degrees from S.C. State College (B.S., 1954) and Winthrop College (M.A.T., 1975). After 34 years of teaching, she retired in 1992 from Harold C. Johnson Elementary School in York, S.C. Brown was also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.).”
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Interview with Robert Harbeck
Robert Harbeck
OH 654
This interview was conducted for the as part of the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the United States. This effort was to produce a history of the university’s, as well as the community’s, response in the days and weeks following the attacks. A key aspect of the project was a series of audio-taped interviews conducted with various members of the Rock Hill and Winthrop communities who felt their stories needed to be shared.
This interview is of Mr. Robert Harbeck, who lived and worked in New York, NY, forty blocks away from the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. In this interview with Andrew Russell, Robert Harbeck discusses his thoughts and memories of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mr. Harbeck describes his experience as a resident of New York and how the city and country responded to the events.
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Interview with Herman K. Harris
Herman K. Harris
OH 070
Rev. Herman K. Harris II (1939-1988) discusses his family background, growing up in Heath Springs, SC, the Civil Rights movement in the south (Rock Hill in particular), the Freedom Riders, Friendship College, drugs, students in general and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Rev. Harris was involved in the movement from 1959 through 1964 and was arrested 33 times in the process. He participated in the Freedom Rides and was among those beaten in Anniston, Alabama. He attended Friendship College in Rock Hill, SC and graduated from Morris College in 1964. This interview took place on May 7, 1979 and May 11, 1979 and was conducted by Mr. Kenneth M. Nelson.
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Interview with John Holder
John Holder
OH 655
This interview was conducted for the as part of the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the United States. This effort was to produce a history of the university’s, as well as the community’s, response in the days and weeks following the attacks. A key aspect of the project was a series of audio-taped interviews conducted with various members of the Rock Hill and Winthrop communities who felt their stories needed to be shared.
This interview is of Dr. John Holder, Associate Professor of Political Science at Winthrop University. In his interview with Andrew Russell, Professor Joh Holder discusses his memories and experiences during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. Professor Holder describes his experience during the attack and the response of the Winthrop and Rock Hill community.
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Interview with Katonya Jackson Pinckney
Katonya Jackson Pinckney, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Black Women
OH 755
This interview was conducted by Autumn Jackson with Katonya Jackson Pinckney as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. In the interview, Jackson-Pinckney details her experience as a mother, state employee, and Black woman during the COVID-19 pandemic. She specifically discusses the challenges she faced in terms of balancing her responsibilities as both a parent and professional amid a public health crisis. She also sheds light on what she believes to be a society hyperaware of contagions due to COVID-19, whether for better or worse. Notable topics of conversation include quarantine, health protocols (masking, vaccination, etc.), parenting, family dynamics, education, Winthrop University, and the wider effects of the pandemic on individuals and families.
Katonya Jackson Pinckney (b. 1979) is a native of West Columbia, SC and government employee. Before working in her current role as a Case Coordinator for Child Support Enforcement (CSE) in Mecklenburg County, NC, she worked in regulatory health for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). Jackson-Pinckney earned a B.A. degree in Psychology from Johnson C. Smith University and a Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree from Webster University. Her daughter, Autumn Jackson (the interviewer), studies Art Education at Winthrop University.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History and African American studies at Winthrop University, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.)."